Allen writes: "New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday turned back an aggressive challenge from actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the race for the Democratic nomination for November's general election."

Andrew Cuomo and Cynthia Nixon. (photo: Reuters)

New York Primary: Governor Andrew Cuomo Defeats Cynthia Nixon

By Jonathan Allen, Reuters

14 September 18

ew York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday turned back an aggressive challenge from actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the race for the Democratic nomination for November’s general election.

The New York Times and Associated Press called the race for Cuomo, who held a two-to-one lead on Nixon after a bitter race that saw Cuomo spend about $18 million. More than 1.4 million people voted in the primary, doubling the race in 2014.

The win makes Cuomo, who is seeking his third term, the heavy favorite headed into the Nov. 6 election against Republican Marc Molinaro.

Nixon is best known for her role on HBO’s “Sex and the City” and was seeking office for the first time. She had trailed in polls by more than 30 points throughout the campaign. She ran on issues like voting reforms and fixing New York City’s subways, and accused Cuomo of poor governance.

“We took on one of the most powerful governors in America. It wasn’t easy,” said Nixon, in remarks delivered to supporters in Brooklyn after conceding the loss.

“We had to fight just to get on the ballot. We had to fight just to get a debate. We started with nothing, and we earned every single vote,” she said.

Left-wing candidates have rung up a series of victories in nominating contests, with more liberal candidates being nominated in governor’s races in Georgia and Florida. But knocking off incumbent governors is harder, particularly one with Cuomo’s cash.

Earlier this campaign season, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley both upset long-serving Democratic incumbent congressmen in nominating races in New York and Massachusetts, promising more vigorous liberal policies and highlighting their opposition to Republican President Donald Trump.

It was the latest attempt by candidates from the party’s energized left wing to gain a further hold on the Democratic party as Democrats seek to regain control of the U.S. Congress and bolster their ranks in state governments across the country in the Nov. 6 elections.

Cuomo, 60, controls the party’s state machinery and secured endorsements from members of the party establishment. He has drawn ire from left-wing activists in the state who believe he has been too willing to negotiate with state Senate Republicans. He was considered potentially vulnerable to a challenge after his former campaign manager and several other lawmakers were convicted in a corruption trial.

However, Cuomo ran on his efforts to fund higher education, and highlighted his support for gun control, gay marriage and paid-family leave, and he shifted to the left by softening positions on marijuana legalization and on felony voter rights.

“The Governor ran an active campaign highlighting his experience and policy achievements, which may have overcome voters’ concerns about corruption or his liberal bona fides,” said Daniel Lewis, associate professor in political science at Siena College.

Cuomo this year also ended an arrangement between a group of Democratic state senators who decided years ago to caucus with the Republicans, handing them control of that chamber. Several of those Democrats were defeated in primary challenges on Thursday.

Comments

A note of caution regarding our comment sections:

For months a stream of media reports have warned of coordinated propaganda efforts targeting political websites based in the U.S., particularly in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

We too were alarmed at the patterns we were, and still are, seeing. It is clear that the provocateurs are far more savvy, disciplined, and purposeful than anything we have ever experienced before.

It is also clear that we still have elements of the same activity in our article discussion forums at this time.

We have hosted and encouraged reader expression since the turn of the century. The comments of our readers are the most vibrant, best-used interactive feature at Reader Supported News. Accordingly, we are strongly resistant to interrupting those services.

It is, however, important to note that in all likelihood hardened operatives are attempting to shape the dialog our community seeks to engage in.

.The point is: When are Democratic Voters going to simply vote for best candidate, rather than whomever the sh!tty Democratic Party endorses and funds?

Democrats always make righteous declarations, such as: "If only their was (ever) a candidate who doesn't accept (the most evil of all evils) corporate money (who could actually win/is electable)." "If only a Holy Grail candidate existed..."

When are Dem voters going be principled and act consistently with their espoused priorities?

All over the country, there are non-corporatist candidates -- none of whom the D Party supports, NOT ONE!.

Yet all the D Party need do is send out flyers endorsing in the name of the D Party, and (no) surprise, surprise, D voters either blindly vote for the corporatist or worse, Dems adopt and parrot D Party rationales for not supporting the good candidate.

When Hillary Clinton ran for President, it was time for a woman -- so so important -- 2016, not the time for principles; we can have "a woman".

In fact, "There's a special place in hell for women who don't support other women." "YEA!!!"

Yet when "progressives" Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cynthia Nixon are running? Principles and issues? Women??? Not important at all -- AT ALL!

Even where after the Primaries, in "blue" districts and states, Dems are virtually guaranteed to win the General Election, hypocritical Dems casually and mindlessly dispense with principles and follow D Party pronouncements.

I'm more than happy to support a woman but with the Clintons being front and center of the alteration of the democratic party to 'Republican light', I wouldn't vote for Hillary in a million years!

As for my fellow NYers...dick heads! People like me who are not registered as a Democrat can't vote and there are a lot of people like me here...left of the DINOs like Cuomo. Keep hearing articles on the radio about how far left the progressives have gone but nothing...NOTHING about how far right the dems have gone. Who needs a Republican when you have an Obama to make the Bush tax cuts permanent thereby putting tens of thousands in his own pocket.

Another interesting outcome is the near-total wipeout of the IDC, a group of Democrats in the state legislature who voted as a bloc with state Republicans to give the GOP control of leadership and the agenda. Many voters were righteously outraged at this group, who worked closely with Cuomo. Almost every single one was voted out yesterday.

One commenter said that, with the change in the makeup of the Democrats, it will be like 'vegetarians running the sausage factory'.

It would have been great if Nixon had won. I think she would have been a good governor, but I'm not surprised that a former actress with no government experience didn't win. I was much more upset about Zephyr Teachout. She does have the experience for the job and would have held Cuomo's feet to the fire_as well as going after Trump and all the other crooked real estate magnates in New York who weren't stupid enough to bring attention to themselves by running for president. The winner was a Cuomo alley so I doubt she will be tough enough on him.

Cuomo is corrupt always has been corrupt and always will be corrupt. He pretends otherwise and the Democratic Party chooses to pretend to believe him. Next he will run for president and the Democratic party establishment will happily back him. His twin in the Republican Party is Rudolph Giuliani. They are equally ugly.

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.